Wilderness Conservation Corps

WILDERNESS CONSERVATION CORPS

The Wilderness Conservation Corps (WCC) is a field based training program for students planning to pursue careers in natural resources and related fields. Interns gain valuable job skills that build career opportunities in the nonprofit partner field as well as the Forest Service.Interns work as part of a 4 member team lead by an experienced Wilderness Crew Leader. Project work includes 5, 10 day backcountry “hitches,” one on each of the 5 Ranger Districts that manage the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Interns will conduct trail maintenance, noxious weed removal, use of a GPS, and campsite impact monitoring. It is also expected that interns help with project preparation, meal planning, backcountry cooking, and tool maintenance. Other requirements include: camping at primitive sites, extensive hiking over varied terrain and working in a variety of weather conditions. There may be opportunities to work with pack stock on some projects, but stock will not be provided for every project. Corps members may occasionally work with adult and youth volunteers. Corps members will have the opportunity to meet numerous professionals in the wilderness management field and make connections for future opportunities in wilderness and recreation management.

Get a look at life on the trail with WCC from this final project for the 2016 WCC by Evan Booth

The internship is based in Hungry Horse, Montana.

Training

WCC interns receive training in:

Wilderness Orientation

Leave No Trace

Backcountry Living Skills

Bear Awareness/Safety

USFS Trail Maintenance Standards

Stock Use/Safety

Backcountry Safety

Defensive Driving

Crosscut Saw and Certification

Natural History Education

Interns also receive Wilderness First Aid certification from the Aerie School for Backcountry Medicine.

interested in wcc?

BMWF will not be running the Wilderness Conservation Corps in 2017. Check out the Wilderness Ranger Internship instead! For more information contact exec@bmwf.org or (406) 387-3847